New Lake

  I have lived in my neighborhood for a number of years and we have had a perpetual problem with a little flooding when we get a thunderstorm now and then. Yesterday we got one of those rain events that did not even seem too bad until I walked out the front door and realized I now have lake front property.
   There was a car floating down the street in front of the neighbor's house, my purple cone flowers and prickley pears in the front yard were barely visible and I was starting to think Simon and Garfunkel had it right, I was an island. I walked up the street to take a few pictures of what was surely a bad day for some of my neighbors and found a couple more cars floating in the pond around the corner. A standing wave that I could have surfed on a board was forming over the debris flushing from one driveway.

  The good thing is that the waters recede faster than an outgoing tide, bad part is the cleanup is gonna last a long time. As the woman whose car was flooded as she was looking at a property for sale on the street, "Guess I won't be buying a house on this street".

The Ft. Worth Police try to prevent any other fools from entering the pool.

Ft. worth firefighters contemplate the next move.

Roaring rapids at the top of the street.

That is usually the kitty hangout corner.

A firefighter tries to check on occupants of a car that is floating. 

Standing wave at the light pole.

Somewhere under there is a sidewalk and a planted cactus garden.

Bright Night in the City

Fireworks set to music.

   I joined Patty and a bunch of high school friends from years past at the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra's Concert in the Gardens which is held in the Ft. Worth Botanic Gardens on weekend nights for a month leading up to the Fourth of July. This particular night was a tribute to the songs of Journey which was one of "The" bands when I went to High School. They may not have been my favorite at the time but their songs were ubiquitous with the whole high school experience.
   Spent the evening on a comfortable grass lawn, catching up with old friends, good food and drink and the whole thing was capped with a fireworks display to coincide with the final song.
   Almost like being in the "city by the bay"

Bucket List

 

2005 Ford GT 40

Massive brakes and tires.

Scenic, well paved, and windy roads make a perfect test track.

The Driven Experience has a stable including a GT 40 and Bentley Continentals.

  I remember the first time I saw a photo of the classic Ford racing cars that were designed specifically to defeat the venerable Ferrari's at the 24 Hours of LeMans. A photo of the sleek two seater in deep blue paint with white stripes swept across the book my brother Chris showed me. I thought it was the most beautiful car I had ever seen. None of the huge wings protruding from the curving body panels like other cars were starting to use to create downforce. A long, low slung hood, a huge V-8 engine behind the driver, unusual for an American design from the era of Muscle Cars.
  Exclusively designed as a race car, I could not even dream of driving something like it. Jump forward a generation and Ford created a re-design of the body style in 2004, creating a truly modern supercar that incorporated that beautiful body work. Now my problem was not being a Silicon Valley tycoon or digging up a gusher in my backyard.
  Then I got an invitation from the wonderful folks at the Gateway Canyons Resort that let me check what I thought was an unobtainable dream off the personal wish list by driving their copy on the winding roads around the resort.
  The Driven Experience at the resort located in the small Southwestern Colorado town of Gateway offers a stable of exotic cars, racing trucks and other adventure excursions in the red rock formations along the Dolores River.
  Due to any actual details being disclosed giving the local authorities evidence for a criminal prosecution in the next seven years, or till the statute of limitations runs out, I will just leave it at "WOW"!!